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tv   Piers Morgan Tonight  CNN  November 14, 2012 9:00pm-10:00pm EST

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space on his face. a guy when people said it was the most i'd idiotic thing they had heard of, he turned the other cheek. piers morgan starts right now. >> good evening. you are looking live at capitol hill. where david petreaus is set to testify. the fbi agent that started the investigation had been identified at frederick w. humphreys the ii. and he says that the shirtless picture that he sent her was a joke and sent years ago. he remains on duty and no action has been taken again him.
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if senator mccain and senator frame and others want to go after somebody, they should go after me but for them to go after the un ambassador who had nothing to do with benghazi, and was simply making a presentation based on intelligence that she had received and to mark her reputation is outrageous. >> if the president thinks we are picking on people, he really does not have any idea of how serious this issue is. >> we begin tonight with the investigation. >> welcome back. >> here is my overview with where we are on this today.
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the soon to be floorious name to go with the story. he seems to be. clearing himself and doing anything wrong is that right? we have a couple of sources who have come out and said, it seems like it is more of a frentship with the families than anything else. he sent this shoirtless photograph of himself. we are told now it wasn't quite so sexy. it has been tribe eeen describea couple of people. >> let's talk about paula broad
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well. >> what we are hearing again from sources is that she too, in relation to confidential s material she may be in the clear as well? >> yeah, fran townsend had reported this earlier this evening. it is peers as though the information may have been classified but there wasn't any serious concerns there. it will be up to the department of justice to decide. >> he released a statement today saying he intends to cooperate with the agency. he believes that the e-mails were harmless. >> his statement was pretty confident. it didn't sound like something
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coming that it was going to be damaging from their careers. it some possible that at the end of the day general petraeus was the casualty of an affair. of how he had phrased it himself as a lack of judgement. it would be that he is the biggest casually out of this. >> thank you very much. >> pleasure. >> joining me now is one of the senator senators taking the said of president obama. getting heated today between the president and you guys over this issue. how convinced that you are right in your suspicions that there is
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genuine foul play here? more questions and answers. that is why we called for the collecti selection of a committee. there are serious questions. why couldn't the best military in the world respond during an attack? there are serious questions that need to be answered. the president was clear that ms.
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rice had nothing to do with benghazi. do you accept that premise? that she was told information by the intelligence services that she receipted in public? do you accept that part of the defense? >> it begs the question. why would you go on every major sunday show if you had nothing to do with it. you have to be able to tell the american people the truth, and i think there are serious questions about it. we know that there were e-mails sent to the state department identifying a terrorist group had claimed responsibility. knowing that they would put her out there and say go tell a story. she had to ask some questions about it.
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>> does your instinct tell you that this is conspiracy? are we talking about a major cover up by the white house designed to protect the narrative or was it simply just pretty poor performance by the people on the line in dealing with his attack? >> it is why we need to get to the bottom of the questions and there are more. it is one of two things. you have said it. it ablatant in competence or misleading of the american people. i would like to know the facts so that we will know what happened. and make sure that this doesn't map again. their families deserve answers and the american people deserve answered on this. to make sure that it doesn't happen again. >> thank you very much. >> thank you piers. >> i want to bring back the
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former assistant secretary of state. he has been with general david petreaus for years. one of the things that struck me today. you have all of this with the generals behaving badly. and at the same time you have serious things going on around the world. the assassinations it seems of the top hamas military leader today. this is a serious time and the focus needs to be back on this quickly doesn't it? >> i think that is right. while there may be attention being played inside the beltway admir are l is focused on what is happening in the middle east.
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they are focused on what is happening around the area around egypt and israel. >> we have video on the military leader that was blown up today in this car. this has been released on the internet. both sides using it for their own propaganda purposes. how dangerous do you think it is right now over there. what do you think? well, i'm more concerned about what is going to happen in egypt. the muslim brotherhood is in power now. they have to find that fine line between the secular military and the radicals and how they react to this latest incident will be instrumental to the instability.
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let's turn to david petreaus again. it seems that one by one, the possible major security breaches are being downplayed. having had an affair. discovered into something else. under these circumstances could he have ridden this out dow think? >> well, he himself into the effect that an announcement that he had been having an affair with someone not his wife. he knows the affect that this would have on the organization and the institution. and so he did it what one would expect of an honorable man. we have had general eisenhower
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and president kennedy all had affairs and stayed in their jobbed and deemed to be great leaders. haven't we lost a great military and intelligence mind and isn't it time that maybe we looked at this or do you think that the discipline it has to be the case? it is about moral and ethical leadership. we have an all volunteer army. they are looking to their leaders these days. they are looking for direction and example. and in a volunteer army, when that trust and competence is broken, you have to step down. let's not forget, david petreaus is a jung myoung man.
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he still has a tremendous amount to offer the united states of american. so, i would expect that after some period of time we will see him re-enter the public domain and continue to offer it up to this point. >> thank you. joining me now is gregory craig, former white house counsel to president obama. i find like many people almost inconceivable that the white house would have had no knowledge of an fbi investigation with the director of the cia. tell me why i shouldn't be skeptical. ? >> the fbi conducts many of investigations sometimes the are high profile and sometimes less high profile. this was a less high profile investigation but the fbi
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reports through the justice department and it does not notify the white house or the president about investigations that are underway. my experience is that we got told about indictments that were going to be coming forward and we were not consulted or informed about investigations underway. this is not just something that happens with a republican attorney general. >> you are talking about one of the top intelligence agencies. you are talking about the chief and over a sex scandal that could potentially and had brought him down. it is an issue whether you want to have political judgements
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exercised. there are no rules here. no laws here. no conventions here other than under a normal circ come stances, the fbi does not consult the white house in these kinds of investigations because no matter who is the president, you don't want the white house to be involved in making the decisions about prosecutorial issues. you don't want to disclose evidence or privacy if they don't turn out to be productive and lead to anything. >> the news was imparted after the election. that lends itself to conspiracy theories. why wouldn't they have gone straight to the white house after they into the investigation was concluded. it does seem to me that it is justified for me to go to the
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white house early if there are issues of national security and missions that are being compromised and activities that might be underminded or you would go to the white house if the president had to make a policy decision that would influence the outcome of the investigation. this was an investigation of a bunch of e-mails. this had to do with a bunch of private activity. >> unless they turn out to be highly sensitive. and that would take it to a different realm wouldn't it? >> of course it would. but as i understand it, it is probably the case that the justice department knew about
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it. and that they knew about it fairly early on. and this should go the orld nairly route. the national intelligence community was not notified until wednesday and the president was not notified until thursday. i appreciate you clarifying it. another man that knows about the white house in crisis. [ male announcer ] every day, thousands of people, like you, are choosing advil®
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really does not have any idea of how serious this issue is. >> with me now is the former white house special counsel to president clinton. welcome back. >> thank you. >> this is all getting very heated. i watched the president saying leave ambassador rice alone come after me. but she was the one sent out on that sunday onto the morning television show. i know because i i watch eed it happen. that intelligence may have been flawed but she was the go-to person for the white house wasn't she? >> i have been on the white house on fridays and saturdays as decisions have been made. there are important decisions in the white house because
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sometimes policy is on the sunday shows. so there had to be someone to address the tragedy and ambassador rice was available and she was given talking points by the community that was consulted on what to say. now that turned out to be wrong. i have great respect and consider them friends and they are certainly right. this needs to be investigating 100%. but that is different than saying there was an intensional misrepresentation. and i don't understand attacking ambassador rice who was doing her somebody ajob and doing wha told which turned out to be wrong. >> she was part of an administration. similar circumstances.
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and that had more catastrophic questions. it is a rocky past. to choose who you are going to defend and not to defend. i believe that i think she reported what she had been given by intelligence. how that makes her we will see as the investigation continues i guess. >> senator mccain reminded me that you don't question people's motives, you question their judgement. >> president obama has it right. if this criticism is to be made. it is judgement. i don't understand impuning the
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sinserity of ambassador rice. >> as somebody who operated with president clinton through a well publicized affair. this wasn't just about sex. or secrets being passed or anything else. should he have resigned? >> i don't question his decision. i don't think he should have been asked to resign. and i agree with general that we should look forward to a new chapter in his life. he is a great and courageous man with a personal weakness that many other men and women share. it is the pain and the pep al ti and he stood up to the line and said and did the right thing for him. but i don't think it was necessary for him to resign.
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>> i want to play you a comment today. of all things economic. let's watch this. >> i have never in those 60 years of managing money for all kinds of people come up with an idea and said i've got this terrific idea to make us some money and you say to me well i would do it and the tax rates are too high. it has never happened. y >> i watched that whole interview. he was the richest guy in the world and i have never seen in my entire career, any evidence to higher income tax that he would be in america income tax was 19%. he had never seen any evidence that had affected investment or job creation. he said look, he carried through his plan to tax the wealthy.
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he began to bring in a new staging. you would pay more tax than if you made $250,000 a year. he made perfect sense. it doesn't matter what party you are in if you look at any poll. people pay more paxs now to help dig us out of this national debt hole. the commission said the answer to that is yes but we should cut corporate tax rates. remember the buffet rule? if he are going to sacrifice, bill clinton and people like myself should be paying more taxes and warren buffet has it right.
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president obama faced tough questions today. jake tapper is a senior correspondent and also and author. welcome. >> it is great to be here. >> it is almost perfect timing. we were discussing. it concerned two great generals in the book. and the generals. and they are both gone before the book had hit the streets. no, and the book is mainly about the grunts on the ground. it looks how people like president obama and obama and how they're decisions end up affecting these guys on the outpost on the bottom of three steep mountains.
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one of the things that emerges is that they are are obsessed with the idea of the celebrity general. they wanted mccrystal to be there. and there is a huberous that takes over. and they start to believe their own press clippings. and they start to play the media game. >> we are a fickle bunch. and one day we are nice to you and one day we are not. >> general mccrystal was appointed to the head of the forces and from the home of his confirmation hearing they are in
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this back and forth. it is a long tug of war and it ends up having deadly consequences for the men at the bottom of this hill. >> my brother has fought out there and you don't want to have the generals involved in scandal and mayhem and media stuff. it is a distraction isn't it? >> it s we had a book launch on saturday night and a lot of the troops in the bocame. and when petreaus was mentioned it was his -- these men served in an area of the country where they would not see a woman for months. because every time they went into an afghan village a woman would hide or be hidden from them. >> and there is their boss having an affair. >> it got so bad it was like
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they were on a planet where female didn't exist. there was a female helicopter pilot that would fly over them. and meanwhile, what is he doi i in afghanistan years later? it amadness. >> there is a theory, general mcarthur and patton and they all had affairs. it is modern digital media unvaf elling all of this stuff. >> i don't think the problem is that the general had an affair. he was director of the cia and he walked into one of the black mailable situations that he could have. it is not that he is a general messing around. according to the code of military justice that is not allowed.
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the press is focused on the director of the cia having this problem. >> perhaps the biggest story today is benghazi blowing up again. pushing very, very hard now getting vicious in the rhetoric towards ambassador rice and so on. what do you think she was merely passing on intelligence and therefore if she wants to make secretary of state, she can do it. >> i was the host and we were trying to get the secretary of state to talk about benghazi. and she didn't go out.
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didn't she make herself a key player? >> and she could have said look, we believe there are a number of possible theories here. >> she was a good soldier and did what the administration told her to do. >> did she act in good faith? ji can't get inside her brain. i think she was repeating what the white house told her to say. what she was saying was similar to whatever in the white house and satate department was sayin. the big question is not whether this was one of the prominent theories, whether it was a spontaneous protest from the anti-muslim varieideo. on september 14th, i said there are people that are saying it is
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probably not the video. it seems like i had better intelligence and sources in the government than the white house did. >> or as john mccain would have it, had a very strong opinion we are defeating al qaeda has not helped if it looks like al qaeda resurge en resurgence. >> without question as somebody who is covering the story in the months leading up to the election, it was so politicized with the white house and the administration because they thought every word they said would be twisted and attacked. and they didn't want to interfere and republican ares putting out conspiracy theories
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some not rooted in facts or evidence it was tough to report on this. >>l the untold story of america valor more about the people on the ground doing the hard stuff on the country. good to see you. >> coming up next. taking on tonight's big stories. why would they want to kill their dog? >> can't wait to hear this excuse. ♪
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pushing reform publicly and behind the scenes urging the house and the senate to pass legislation. before this august recess why is that deadline important tow. >> because if you don't set a deadline in this town nothing happens. the default in washington is in action. >> president obama in 2009. meredith is a special
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correspondent for nbc news with her husband and i want to clarify this. you don't want to kill your dog. the potential dog killer is your husband. >> i want p.e.t.a. to be clear on this. >> it comes as an extraordinary book. >> there is the president. he has got it again. pretty convincing in the end. and engulfed in the bizarre l i lurid tale of generals and sex what do you make of it? >> i think the biggest mistake that has been made is starting the investigation. >> i think this was un-necessary. i think it was tramabling on people's rights. privacy rights. >> you have two women competing
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for his affections. one that has been having the affair and one that has been flirtatious. >> do we know that was the way she was with general petreaus? >> either way, it is their squable and the next thing we know the cia trek tore is being grilled by the fbi and has to resign. and without any security to it. which appears to be the case. you are left with an affair and there may be a moral argument about it. as a cia director. i doubt it. >> it may be the last. he made the decision. what would you have said. if you were on the "today show
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requestshow". >> i wouldn't be judging him that is not my role. >> some people would feel you were having an affair that is wrong. >> i think we are still learning that. if you said that it is just a relationship an affair i don't think that is anybody's business. i don't think that is effects what he does nor does it mean that he should step down. but he made that decision. >> every american should be sitting here tonight realizing this could happen to them. >> what? >> except for me. >> is there something that you want to get off your chest. >> no i mean. >> explain that. >> well, i mean, i think this was an agreethious over reaching of authority really trampling of
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privacy and rights. >> >> i did read it and think he has a point. it has become a more aggressive society and information is easy collectible. and a great general could be brought down because two women are arguing over e-mails. when you put it like that it is trivial and damaging. >> you have to wonder why people put themselves in that situation. somewhere you have to know that it could easily get out. >> i think it is a massive risk to take. i guess he would have know the
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repercussions. >> you could argue it is too young to argue the consequences. it is a different game. >> and because of who he is and what he has sacrificed for this country. >> anything you ever put on the internet. >> coming back. >> can come back. >> there is no such thing as privacy. >> no secrets anymore. >> let's take a break. >> why you want to kill the pet dog.
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open enrollment ends december 7th. so call today or visit your local walgreens. >> keep it down, we're trying to hibernate! >> meredith vieira. back with her and her husband richard. you would slaughter. you are the extraordinary author of "i want to kill the dog."
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there is jasper. >> i would never hurt a dog. >> tongue and cheek there is a picture of him. there is a saw, and it says "i want to kill the dog." this is how you are selling your book. there they all are, lovingly caressing him. you want to murder him. what's it about? obviously a bit of a joke. >> it is a bit of a joke. it's about a dog who is the most annoying dog in the county, who has got a shrieking bark that never stops. >> are we talking about jasper? >> really? don't start. i know too much. >> he's also a dog who thinks that meredith is his wife. >> really? >> and does not let anybody near her. >> yeah. >> which often happens with an animal. >> who chose jasper? you did? >> well, our kids did. our children did. no, no. we were -- >> i grew up in a family of
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animal lovers. i'm an animal tolerator. i had a cat called rocky balboa, but i never got into the whole animal thing much. i felt a bit detached, probably like richard. this over obsessive. give me a cuddle, have a cry and two years later you bury them. >> is that the coldest approach to an animal i have ever heard. two years later you bury them? you you will die. you certainly don't think so, but you will. >> why invest all of this emotional time in something that won't last? >> it's part of your family. something you love and it gives you love back. did rocky balboa love you? >> rocky balboa didn't last very long and the pet goldfish, come home, upside down, another one is gone. great. explain to you why jasper is to porn to your life.
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>> i'm able to give love and have you a problem because obviously stuff that happened in your childhood which is your issue. jasper has -- in fairness to richard, jasper is a difficult dog. he's a barker, he is possessive. you know, we -- >> he's a shrieker. >> i can see why he he thinks he's married to meredith. >> u.s. subs in the indian ocean have picked up the shriek. >> it's a very funny book. i will be serious. very entertaining and amusing and anyone that loves animals, or feels the way you do, it's a classic family pet story, isn't it? >> it is. it's about a family, it's about the pet, it's about pet culture which is totally out of hand, and it's a -- a little bit of social commentary and a lot of comedy. >> it's very, very funny.
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>> let's talk about things that aren't funny, but very entertaining to watch the breakfast tv wars, the general feeling it's the moment you left "today," it's all gone to hell in a hand cart. not far off. >> things happen. and there are ups and downs, and "today" show where i was and i love and i hope to do more pieces. my heart and soul is with nbc, going through more of a difficult time than we did a few years ago. we will be fine. we certainly will. and don nash, executive director producer, he is fantastic. >> that happened today. and first time the "today" show had a woman at the top? >> yes. and there are women in positions of -- executive positions for sure. >> could you be lured back? >> i'm doing stuff for "today." >> permanently back on the
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couch? >> what does that mean? >> whatever you want it to be. >> no, they have a great team in savannah and matt, they are fantastic and natalie and al. they are great. they don't need me for sure. why do you give me that look? >> it must be quietly satisfying. even though you love the show and the people there. be satisfying that you were clearly that popular. >> but it has nothing to do with me. that's not the case. >> i used to love you on that show. >> well, i love that show now. >> and you matt were like lennon and mccartney. >> which one was i? >> he was the pretty one. > you were mccartney. >> thank you. i think chemistry is very difficult, and any time you build a new team, you have to rebuild that. the people that do "today" are
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individually fantastic and as a group they are fantastic. i think they have real chemistry and they do a great show. but, you know, kudos to "gma." that's great. >> we'll send savannah to richard, and he can get his saw out. >> savannah is fantastic, and you are a trouble maker and you're going to hell. >> i like all of the shows in the morning? >> do you watch any of them? you watch any of them. >> i want to kill the dog, richard cohen, terrifically funny book. >> so good to see you. >> come back soon. >> we'll be right back. extra strength bayer advanced aspirin. in fact, in a recent survey, 95% of people who tried it agreed that it relieved their headache fast. visit fastreliefchallenge.com today for a special trial offer.
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